This invention relates in general to vehicle disc brake assemblies and in particular to an improved structure for a damped pad spring adapted for use in such a vehicle disc brake assembly. Most vehicles are equipped with a brake system for slowing or stopping movement of the vehicle in a controlled manner. A typical brake system for an automobile or light truck includes a disc brake assembly for each of the front wheels and either a drum brake assembly or a disc brake assembly for each of the rear wheels. The brake assemblies are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure generated when an operator of the vehicle depresses a brake pedal. The structures of these drum brake assemblies and disc brake assemblies, as well as the actuators therefor, are well known in the art.
A typical disc brake assembly includes a brake rotor which is secured to a wheel of the vehicle for rotation therewith. The disc brake assembly further includes a caliper assembly which is slidably supported on pins secured to an anchor bracket. The anchor bracket is secured to a non-rotatable component of the vehicle, such as the axle flange or steering knuckle, connected to the vehicle frame. The caliper assembly includes a pair of friction pads or brake shoes which are disposed on opposite sides of the brake rotor. The friction pads are connected to one or more hydraulically or pneumatically actuated pistons for movement between a non-braking position, wherein they are spaced apart from opposed axial sides or braking surfaces of the brake rotor, and a braking position, wherein they are moved into frictional engagement with the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor. When an operator of the vehicle depresses the brake pedal, the piston urges the friction pads from the non-braking position to the braking position so as to frictionally engage the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor and thereby slow or stop the rotation of the associated wheel of the vehicle.
When the disc brake assembly is not actuated, the friction pads are normally spaced apart from the opposite sides of the rotor. Because they are not positively engaged with the rotor, the friction pads are free to move relative to other brake and vehicle components during vehicle operation. Vehicle induced vibration loads can result in an undesirable rattle or other noises. To prevent this from occurring, it is known to provide an anti-rattle clip in the disc brake assembly. The anti-rattle clip is typically embodied as a spring metal member having leg portions which spring load each of the friction pads against a non-moving component of the disc brake assembly. The anti-rattle clip exerts a relatively small force against the associated friction pad which prevents it from rattling while limiting pad sliding resistance to an optimum level when the disc brake assembly is disengaged. A number of anti-rattle clip structures are known in the art for use with the friction pads of disc brake assemblies.